20 August 2022
This was an amazing adventure that exceeded all expectations. The beauty of the Hebrides is legendary, but for us this trip was enhanced by a great crew. Rob's quiet leadership was evident in the way the whole team worked brilliantly together. His ability to judge the weather in getting us to St. Kilda was one of the highlights of the trip. We covered a lot of 'sea", saw many of the stunning islands and Rob always found a beautiful, quiet mooring each evening. Craig provided such excellent service in a professional yet warm and friendly way. Sarah's cooking was just amazing and every meal was delicious - gosh we were spoiled. Learning and experiencing the wildlife of the Islands was such a remarkable aspect of the whole cruise and we were so lucky having Zoe as our wildlife expert. Her knowledge is amazing as is her eyesight!! She was always vigilant and a great guide on the Islands. This was such a memorable week with a super team. Nothing was too much trouble. Thank you all so very much for a very, very special time. Judy Hobrough and Michael Parson
Michael Parson
Fabulous cruise with first class crew. Jake our Captain got us safely to each destination, amending the itinerary as weather conditions changed. We nevertheless got everywhere we’d been promised and got to enjoy the wildlife to the max. Charlie, our cook supreme, fed us incredibly well and Jasmin, our steward, ensured we were so well looked after we didn’t want the cruise to finish. They also managed a birthday surprise for me, which was wonderful. Special mention to Lynsey, our guide, who managed to spot two humpback whales from a good few miles away, one of which hadn’t previously been seen in Scottish waters. We were able to spend a good while with them without ever feeling we were disturbing them. We also saw Harbour porpoise, common dolphins, seals, White-tailed eagles, an otter, a minke whale, a cuckoo, sea-birds galore (gannets, puffins, guillemots, razor-bills, fulmars to name a few) and heard the allusive Corn crake. The scenery was also fantastic. Incredibly dramatic as you’d expect and again Lynsey with her geology background was able to give further information. I had a great time with the other cruise guests who all helped make the cruise such an enjoyable holiday experience. My favourite moment was watching a pod of common dolphins speed towards the Emma Jane; swimming, jumping, tail slapping alongside and interacting with us before heading off. It was chucking with rain, but nobody cared, it was absolutely magical.
Jackie Phelpstead: 21 June 2025Skye, the Small Isles and the Shiants